Today, for most people, sailing is a recreational activity. No need to prove the world is round or discover unexplored territory, but remember, Earth’s oceans cover about 71 percent of the planet. In the days before mechanical propulsion, a sailor was expected to be able to “hand, and reef, and steer.”

Modern training is more formal nowadays, but still covers the basics. Pretty amazing to think that early explorers like Magellan and Columbus set out to fi nd relative small pieces of land to prove someone right or wrong. Now, we do it for fun. Is it the wind in the face or water splashing against our bodies that makes us feel alive? Darwin would have us believe we were once aquatic beings happily swimming along, fi nally becoming so bored to the point of growing legs. Now, we enjoy the blistering rays of the sun as we lie out and bake away—but we can leave the discussion of evolution for another time. However, we do have to wonder why we like the water so much.

Take local sailors Scott Dickson and Brian Angel as examples. Two guys who like nothing better than racing on the open water. Dickson belongs to the Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC), which will host the forty-third annual Congressional Cup happening May 15—19.  e international yacht race is one of the oldest and most prestigious match racing events in the world, and this year it is the only grade 1 match race regatta that will be sailed in the United States. Many past winners of the “Crimson Blazer” have gone on to win the world’s top sailing prize, the America’s Cup. Last year, six skippers participating in the Long Beach event traveled to Auckland, New Zealand to win the ultimate prize in sailing.

Originally from New Zealand, Scott Dickson is the younger brother of Chris Dickson, a competitive yacht racer who is highly respected as one of the best and toughest sailors in the world. Scott Dickson is the skipper and CEO of BMW Oracle’s America’s Cup team. He is not a regular on the world match racing tour but is a Congressional Cup competitor for the eleventh time this year.

Brian Angel of the King Harbor Yacht Club in Redondo Beach has recently raised his world ranking from sixty-fourth to thirty-fourth with his success on the world tour. In 2006, he came in fourth in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Nations Cup Grand Final in Ireland and also came in second in the U.S. Match Race Championships. Angel is the secondhighest- ranked American sailor, at the young age of 25.

If either of these local boys have a chance this year, it seems the competitor to beat will be France’s Mathieu Richard, ranked number three in the world. Only thirty years old, he has been a semifinalist the last two years, and many experts think Mathieu is due. Now, no matter what you think of the French, Mathieu says he likes Long Beach. It reminds him of growing up, sailing on the small lake at his home in western France.

What’s great about this event for Long Beach residents is that spectators can watch for free on the newly revamped Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier. With the start and finish lines located at the prime viewing spot, you can see some last-minute maneuvering action as boats come so dangerously close together that you almost can’t tell whose sail is whose.

Another LBYC summer event is the weeknight series for keelboats called Wet Wednesdays. Starting this month and sailing till September, boats will sail around a series of buoys that mark locations like the easternmost leg of the Long Beach breakwater, the buoy about a mile off the breakwater, and the oil platform off Seal Beach. Several classes compete and starts occur every five minutes until everybody is racing. The finish of the LBYC races is directly off the flagpole of the Long Beach Yacht Club itself.

The generic term for this kind of series is beer-can races. In less ecologically sensitive times, it was said that you could follow the course of the fleet by the trail of empty beer cans on the water. While the cans are disposed of more responsibly today, there is still a fair bit of midweek beer drinking going on in the fleet.

If all that yacht racing is not your cup of tea but you do like the idea of traveling the seven seas—well, let’s stick to Long Beach for now. How about hopping on a charter? Many companies in Long Beach offer a variety of ways to get out on the water, but let’s clarify a few things before going forward so you are not confused on the many different names of boats mentioned. Sailboats include just about every vessel, large and small, which use wind as the primary means of propulsion. Variations other than size are hull configuration, keel type, purpose, number and configuration of masts, and the sail plan. So don’t be confused if you hear names like catamaran, schooner, keelboats, and yachts in reference to the various boats you can buy, rent, and learn on. The distinctions are fuzzy and the defi nitions vary by region and culture.

One such company that offers charters and lessons is Pacific Sailing, located in Shoreline Village overlooking the Queen Mary. They are just one of the many businesses that offer private sunset cruises and weekend getaways to Catalina. They can customize your trip to fit your desires. Sail a total of 26 nautical miles to and from the island with a personal captain who has extensive knowledge of the area. While over there, you can stay in Avalon, explore hidden coves and deserted beaches, go sightseeing, hike, swim, snorkel, and sail with the dolphins. Right now, they offer two-day trips for five people as low as $890!

Another boating concern is the Long Beach Sailing Club located in Alamitos Bay. They offer charters on everything from a 25-foot keelboat to a 33-foot catamaran to their 72-foot schooner, Dirigo II. Designed by John Alden in 1938, the vessel can carry four to six passengers on weekend and weeklong adventures to Catalina and the Channel Islands.

Passengers are also welcome to assist in vessel operation. Right now, the vessel can be chartered for an overnight run to Catalina for less than $1,000. Other adventures are available as well.

If you want to learn how to do it yourself, both these companies offer lessons but the basic keelboat program at the United States Sailing Center is an exciting way to start. The program provides a comprehensive learning experience for students with no sailing knowledge. At first, it might seem a little daunting with no steering wheel and no visible power to speak of, but the certified and very personable instructors are highly skilled in communication and seamanship; and with a class of three to five people per boat, it’s like having your own personal instructor. “There is nothing like the spray and wind in your face, while jumping the waves, knowing you are using the same wind to power the boat,” says previous student sailor Scott Haas. “Imagine calling up a friend and seeing if he would like to sail to Catalina for the weekend.” Haas plans to get together with a good buddy to purchase a fixer-upper.

What’s unique about the U.S. Sailing Center is that it was originally planned to be just a training center for Olympic athletes. Now they host world-class regattas and coach high schools and colleges, which has made the center a very important part of Long Beach and the sailing world.

Other programs include Youth at Risk activities and classes for the disabled through their own Disabled Sailing Association. They are always asking for volunteers to help with these programs.

The Center was recognized by Gladstone’s at the Pike when the restaurant gave a portion of their grand opening sales to the Sailing Center and Miller’s Children Hospital.

“These two organizations are doing wonderful things for the children of Long Beach,” said John Sanmeister, Gladstone’s CEO.

“It’s a real treat to see the kids being able to have the ability to sail a boat when they never thought they could,” added John Smoltz, an avid sailor.

There is more to sailing and oceanic adventure that can fill books. Living in Long Beach, you see it firsthand and would be remiss if you didn’t take it upon yourself to at least try some form of it. But whatever you choose to do in your quest to enjoy the waters of the world, be it learning how to sail or having someone else skipper, you will enjoy the majesty that the ocean off ers. The sea offers so much in terms of aquatic life, adventure, and intrigue that if you don’t venture out and investigate its mysteries, you are missing out on living life to its fullest.